DATE: July 20, 2026
TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Stefan Chatwin, City Manager
Benjamin L. Stock, City Attorney
DEPARTMENT: City Manager, City Attorney
SUBJECT: TERMINATION OF LOCAL EMERGENCY RELATED TO
CYBERSECURITY EVENT
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt the attached resolution terminating the Proclamation of Local Emergency related to the Cybersecurity Event.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On March 19, 2026, the City’s network was cyber attacked by an external actor, and this cybersecurity event caused network access to become unavailable, which significantly interfered with City staff’s ability to conduct business and provide services.
As a result of the conditions of disaster, the City Manager, in his capacity as Director of Emergency Services, proclaimed a state of local emergency on March 19, 2026, which was ratified by the City Council on March 23, 2026.
The conditions which caused the emergency have now been resolved and staff is recommending that the Local Emergency be terminated.
BACKGROUND
Government Code section 8630 and section 2.40.070 (A) of the Municipal Code empower the Director of Emergency Services to proclaim the existence of a local emergency when the City is affected or likely to be affected by an emergency, as that term is defined in Section 2.40.020 and the City Council is not in session.
On March 19, 2026, the City’s network was cyber attacked by an external actor and this cybersecurity event caused network access to become unavailable which significantly interferes with City staff’s ability to conduct business and provide services. As a result of the cybersecurity event, the City Manager, in his capacity as Director of Emergency Services did determine that a “local emergency”1 existed and issued a Proclamation of Local Emergency on March 19, 2026 (Attachment 2).
The City Council ratified the Proclamation of Local Emergency at its regular meeting on March 23, 2026 via City Resolution No. 2026-025, pursuant to Government Code section 8630(b). The City Clerk’s Office provided written notification of the Proclamation to the appropriate departments within San Mateo County and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services pursuant to Government Code 8607.
ANALYSIS
Due to the diligent efforts of staff, and through partnerships with cybersecurity experts provided by the City’s cybersecurity insurance provider, the City was able to recover control of its network systems. This included restoring systems throughout the City with additional cybersecurity measures implemented.
The Director of Emergency Services has determined that the conditions that created the local emergency have been resolved and as such recommends that the Proclamation of Local Emergency be terminated.
California Environmental Quality Act
The termination of the Proclamation of Local Emergency is not a project within the meaning of Section 15378 of CEQA Guidelines because it has no potential for resulting in either a direct or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, either directly or ultimately.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with terminating the Local Emergency.
CITY COUNCIL VISION, MISSION, AND VALUE/PRIORITY AREA
Facilities and Infrastructure
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 – Resolution
Attachment 2 – Proclamation of Local Emergency
1 As that term is defined in Section 2.40.020 of the Foster City Municipal Code (“FCMC”).